Isaiah 33:23

“Thy tacklings are loosed, &c.] Or “are left”f663; forsaken by the mariners, as being of no use and service: they could not well strengthen their mast; with ropes to make it stand upright: they could not spread the sail; upon the mast, without which they could not proceed. This is spoken to and of the enemies of the church; most interpreters understand it of the Assyrians, who are compared to a ship in great distress at sea, when its tacklings are shattered, the mast is split, and the sails cannot be spread. The metaphor is taken and carried on from (<233321>Isaiah 33:21), where mention is made of a galley with oars, and a gallant ship. Tyrannical governments are thought by some to be…”

“tacklings--Continuing the allegory in Isa 33:21, he compares the enemies' host to a war galley which is deprived of the tacklings or cords by which the mast is sustained and the sail is spread; and which therefore is sure to be wrecked on "the broad river" (Isa 33:21), and become the prey of Israel. they--the tacklings, "hold not firm the base of the mast." then--when the Assyrian host shall have been discomfited. Hezekiah had given Sennacherib three hundred talents of silver, and thirty of gold (Kg2 18:14-16), and had stripped the temple of its gold to give it to him; this treasure was probably part of the prey found in the foe's camp. After the invasion, Hezekiah had so much wealth that he…”

“Thy tacklings - This is evidently an address to Sennacherib. The mention of the war-galley and the ship seems to have suggested the application of the figure to the enemies of the Jews, and particularly to Sennacherib. The prophet, therefore, compares the Assyrian to a ship that was rendered unserviceable; whose sails were unfastened, and whose mast could not be made firm, and which was therefore at the mercy of winds and waves. The Hebrew which is rendered here ‘thy tacklings are loosed,’ means ‘thy cords are let go;’ that is, the cords or ropes that fastened the sails, the masts, and the rudder, were loosened. In such a condition the ship would, of course, go to ruin. They could not well…”

“Tacklings - He directs his speech to the Assyrians; and having designed their army under the notion of a gallant ship, Isa 33:21, he here represents their undone condition, by the metaphor of a ship, tossed in a tempestuous sea, having her cables broke, and all her tacklings loose, so that she could have no benefit of her masts and sails; and therefore is quickly swallowed up. The lame - They shall leave so many spoils behind them, that there shall be enough left for the lame, who come last to the spoil. Isaiah 33:24”

“Thy tacklings are loosed: or, they have forsaken thy tacklings, Isa 33:21; Eze 27:26-34; Act 27:19, Act 27:30-32, Act 27:40, Act 27:41 then: Isa 33:1, Isa 33:4; Ch2 20:25 the lame: Sa1 30:10, Sa1 30:22-24; Kg2 7:8; Psa 68:12; Co1 1:27 Isaiah 33:24”

“Now indeed it was apparently very different from this. It was not Assyria, but Jerusalem, that was like a ship about to be wrecked; but when that which had just been predicted should be fulfilled, Jerusalem, at present so powerless and sinful, would be entirely changed. "Thy ropes hang loose; they do not hold fast the support of thy mast; they do not hold the flag extended: then is booty of plunder divided in abundance; even lame men share the prey. And not an inhabitant will say, I am weak: the people settled there have their sins forgiven." Nearly every commentator (even Luzzatto) has taken Isa 33:23 as addressed to Assyria, which, like a proud vessel of war, would cross the encircling…”